BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 30- Joe Girardi returned to Yankee Stadium on Monday afternoon, not even a full day after the 2014 regular season came to a close, for a meeting with the media. His assessment of the 2014 season, still very fresh in his mind, was much easier to make than a prognostication of the upcoming 2015 season.

The Yankee skipper first reflected on the just completed season, “We’re 20 hours removed from what we did. The

biggest disappointment I think, it’s not making the playoffs. That’s why we come to work. That’s our focus. We didn’t get to where we wanted, so I’m disappointed. What we did this year was not good enough. We have to get better.”

Despite his repeated statements of regret, Girardi, as he usually does, spoke very positively. He listed many reasons for his high expectations for the improvement of the Yankees in 2015, “We have a lot of good pieces. We expect to be younger and healthier. I’m not sure the task is as big as some people think.”

He acknowledged that the Yankees did not score a sufficient number of runs to finish higher in the standings, but expressed his faith in the offense, “I still believe there’s enough talent in that room [Yankee clubhouse] to score runs.”

Girardi was pleased with the pitching, both starting and the bullpen, but said, “You can never have enough pitching.” He specifically mentioned only a few on the staff.

“[Michael] Pineda was probably better than we expected. I look forward to 2015 with him.”

The Yankee manager expects rookie Masahiro Tanaka to be fully recovered from his injury and much improved after one season in MLB and one year in the United States, “We expect him to make 32 starts. I think he learned a lot. He’ll be more comfortable next year in Spring Training.”

Girardi stated that most people did not believe that Mariano Rivera could be replaced as the club’s closer, but “David Robertson did a tremendous job replacing Mo.”

Girardi expressed satisfaction with the outfield of Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran, but did not mention veteran Ichiro Suzuki, who played more than 140 games in 2014.

He currently sees the infield as Mark Teixeira at first, Martin Prado (“who gives us versatility”) at second, Brendan Ryan or someone else at shortstop and Alex Rodriguez at third.

The largest amount of questions directed to Girardi concerned Rodriguez, whose suspension does not end until after the World Series is concluded. The manager admitted it’s too soon to know of Rodriguez’s playing condition, “We have to see where he’s physically at. I don’t think we’ll know until we get there [Spring Training.]”

Without the presence of Derek Jeter on the team next year it is very unlikely that Rodriguez will not be the center of attention, yet Girardi claimed, “Alex won’t be a distraction.’

The manager’s responses on Monday are hardly the final answers for 2015. He admitted, “We are going to sit down and evaluate everything.” Anything said by the manager on Monday can change after the franchise’s hierarchy meets and makes decisions. It is quite unlikely that personnel changes will not be made after two straight seasons the Yankees have been out of the playoffs despite the positive expectations expressed by Girardi on Monday.

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 29- Holy Cross fans are probably wishing that Fordham senior tight end Dan Light chose to become a Crusader four years ago rather than a Ram as today Light made it a perfect 6-0 all-time in games he’s played at Fitton Field as Fordham upended Holy Cross, 45-16, in a Patriot League matchup and the annual Ram-Crusader Cup game.

With the win, #16/19 Fordham improves to 4-1 overall on the year, 1-0 in the conference, while Holy Cross falls to 2-3 overall, 0-1 in the conference.

Light, who is from nearby Sutton, Mass., is a perfect 2-0 as a Ram on Fitton Field (Fordham defeated Holy Cross 36-32 on the field during his sophomore year in 2012), and he was a perfect 4-0 at St. John’s Prep, who plays is annual Thanksgiving Day game against St. Peter-Marian in Worcester.

Light (four catches, 42 yards and one touchdown) was a part of a potent Fordham offense that gained 493 yards on the day while scoring six touchdowns. Senior quarterback Mike Nebrich had a hand in five of the six scores, completing 32 of 42 passes for 315 yards and four touchdowns while also running for a score. His four passing touchdowns bring his career total to 48, moving him ahead of Kevin Eakin (2000-03) and into second place on the Fordham career list (John Skelton has the record with 69).

His top receiver was Tebucky Jones, Jr., who caught nine passes for 76 yards while Brian Wetzel hauled in eight for a game-high 114 yards and two touchdowns and Marcus Jones made six catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

On the ground, freshman running back Chase Edmonds carried 26 times for 142 yards and one touchdown, his fourth 100-yard rushing game over the first five games of the year.

Entering the game, head coach Joe Moorhead told the Rams that they needed to convert on third down, score seven points when they make it into the red zone and hold Holy Cross on third downs to get the Fordham offense back on the field. The Rams excelled in all three phases, converting nine of 19 third down (and all four of their fourth down) while scoring six touchdowns on eight red zone trips and holding the Crusaders to converting just two of ten third down tries. Fordham also dominated in time of possession, controlling the ball for 42:10 to just 17:50 for Holy Cross.

Not to be overshadowed, the Fordham defense recorded six tackles for loss, four sacks and intercepted two passes.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Rams drove to the Holy Cross one, converting on two third down plays, but couldn’t punch it in and settled for an 18-yard Michael Marando field goal and a 3-0 lead midway through the second.

After the defense held Holy Cross to a three-and-out, Fordham took over on the Holy Cross 30 following a 17-yard punt. The Rams made quick work of the 30 yards with Nebrich finding Wetzel in the end zone with a nine-yard touchdown toss for a 10-0 Fordham lead with 5:15 left in the half. The big play of the drive was an 18-yard completion from Nebrich to Marcus Jones on fourth-and-seven from the Holy Cross 27.

Another three-and-out for the Holy Cross offense resulted in the Rams getting the ball back on their own 35 and Nebrich went to work, sandwiching two completions around a ten-yard Edmonds run to put the ball on the Holy Cross 20. Edmonds covered the final 20 yards with three carries, the last an eight-yard scoring rush to make it a 17-0 game with 52 seconds remaining before the break.

Holy Cross managed to drive to the Fordham 20 in 48 seconds but the drive stalled there and Zane Wasp kicked a 37-yard field goal that just cleared the cross bar.

On the second play of the second half, Ian Williams almost picked off a Peter Pujals pass but Holy Cross receiver Jake Wieczorek managed to wrestle the ball from Williams and score on a 74-yard pass play as Holy Cross made it an eight-point game, 17-9, when the Rams blocked the Crusaders extra point attempt.

The Fordham offense quickly got the touchdown back, driving 75 yards in 10 plays with Nebrich finding Light in the end zone with an eight-yard scoring strike to extend the Fordham lead to 24-9 with 9:43 left in the third.

The Fordham defense forced another three-and-out and the offense took over on the Fordham 41. The Rams were stopped on third down and Joseph Pavlik came on to punt. He fumbled the snap but was able to recover and race around the left side, picking up 15 yards and a first down. Edmonds carried it down to the Holy Cross four on the next play and, two plays later, Nebrich took it in from the four to give the Rams a 31-9 lead with 5:07 remaining in the third.

Early in the fourth, Jake Dixon picked off a Pujals pass at the Fordham 40 and returned it to the Holy Cross 29. Six plays later, Nebrich and Marcus Jones teamed up for a five-yard scoring strike to give Fordham a commanding 38-9 lead 3:24 into the fourth.

The Crusaders made it a 38-16 game when Pujals connected with Tyler Artim on a 27-yard touchdown pass with 10:29 remaining but the Rams stopped Pujals on fourth-and-five from the Holy Cross 47 on the Crusaders’ next possession.

Fordham took advantage of the good field position, covering the 41 yards in seven plays, capping the drive with a 25-yard pass from Nebrich to Wetzel with 2:35 on the clock.

Victor DiFusco led the Fordham defense with seven tackles, six solo, including one sack, while DeAndre Slate made four solo stops, including two sacks, and Dixon had three solo tackles to go with his interception.

The Rams return to action on Friday night, October 3, as they host the Lafayette College Leopards in a Patriot League game on Jack Coffey Field at 6:30 PM in a game that will be televised nationally by the CBS Sports Network.

Cardinal Spellman honored former football coach Joe DeSimone on September 27th with a half-time ceremony at this year's Homecoming against Nazareth.

Coach Desimone was honored for his eight years of leading Cardinal Spellman football from 2001 to 2008, including 2 CHSFL Championships in 2006 and 2008. DeSimone was accompanied by friends and family as well as many of the former football alumni he had coached.

As for the game itself, Spellman scored 10 points in the final 2:48 of the first half, including a 44-yard field goal and a 51- yard touchdown run to put Nazareth in the hole with a 27-6 halftime lead.

Spellman would need every point as Nazareth scored 20 unanswered points in the second half falling just short 27-26. Spellman now stands a 1-2 as they next host Kennedy Catholic on Saturday, October 4th at 1:30.

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 26- Derek Jeter played his final game in Yankee Stadium on Thursday night. The largest paid attendance of the year (48,613) came to witness Jeter’s farewell appearance in the Bronx. Many of those present expended an exorbitant amount of money to scalpers to be able to see the special event. It was a magical night that ended in an appropriate way.

Since the opportunity for the Yankees to qualify for the playoffs ended after the previous night’s game, the focus for Yankee fans was solely upon Jeter. The elimination of the chances of the Yankees to advance to the next level also freed Jeter to think about his career and show his appreciation to the fans.

Immediately before the start of the game, a video was shown that displayed the gratitude of the people of the city to Jeter for what he means to them. The video ended and the Yankees immediately took the field. The fans in the ballpark responded with a standing ovation and the chanting of Jeter’s name. Jeter answered by tipping his cap.

He has throughout his career and repeatedly in his final season acknowledged his appreciation of their support. He spoke of his relationship with the fans in a lengthy post-game press conference that was shown on the giant screen in centerfield to the fans who were invited to remain after the game concluded.

He asked, “In what job do you hear 40-50,000 people chanting your name? I see signs “Thank you Derek” and I say, ‘What for? I’m just trying to do my job.’ I want to thank everyone here. They’re [the fans] the ones that made this special.”

Asked about what he thinks brings out so much support for him from the fans, he replied, “I care about one thing, winning. I don’t think anyone played harder, maybe as hard but not harder. I did it here in New York, and I think it’s harder here.”

Speaking about the farewell tour, Jeter admitted, “The whole year has been special, but at times difficult. I’ve appreciated it all, but it feels like watching your own funeral.” He explained that hearing the constant praise and seeing the focus on him makes him uncomfortable.

He also discussed his emotions, “I have emotions; I think I’m pretty good at hiding them, controlling them.” Yet on his last game at Yankee Stadium, he felt less control of his emotions,” I don’t know that I ever thought ‘please don’t hit it to me’ I thought I would break down.”

He also felt that emotion “when my teammates presented me with something before the game today, a painting and a special watch.”

He was again asked why he decided to retire after this year. His answer was the same as on previous occasions, “I felt like I’ve been doing it a long time. I feel like I could still play, but I don’t want to. I wanted to call it a career.”

Jeter performed in a heroic manner as befits someone special. In his first trip to the plate, Jeter doubled to score Brett Gardner, who had singled.

Jeter made out in the second and fifth innings as the score remained tied at 2.

With the bases loaded in the seventh, Jeter was safe on an error, in which two runs scored and the Yankee captain recorded his second run batted in of the contest.

Jeter’s final chance to bat came in the bottom of the ninth with the score knotted at 5. Rookie Jose Pirela began the frame with a single. Gardner moved pinch runner Antoan Richardson to second on a sacrifice bunt. To the surprise of no one who believes in miracles, Jeter drove in the winning run for the ninth walk-off win for the Yankees in 2014.
Jeter was very happily greeted by his current teammates and then by his former teammates who were now also on the field. He embraced the rest of the Core Four (Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera), Hideki Matsui, Tino Martinez, Bernie Williams, Gerald Williams and their manager Joe Torre. Jeter described them in the following words, “These guys are like brothers and Mr. T. like a second father.”

The Yankee shortstop decided on the day of his final stadium game to not play shortstop in his three remaining games in Boston, “I played my last game at shortstop. I wanted to take something special from Yankee Stadium and New York.”

Jeter’s summary of his remarkable career is, “It was above and beyond anything I ever dreamed of. I’ve lived a dream.”

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 26- The rain never came Thursday night and Derek Jeter could not have done it better in his final game as a shortstop and active player in the Bronx for the New York Yankees. The script could not have been better when he delivered the game winning single in a 6-5 walk-off win over the Baltimore Orioles.

You could not have wrote a better script before 48,613 fans who chatted “Jeter” the entire evening. But when have we not seen moments like this from Derek Jeter at the old and new Yankee Stadium? So in that ninth inning, and with Jeter on deck with the winning run at second, he once again played the script to perfection.

That final at bat, in a Yankees uniform in the Bronx, will be chronicled as one of those famed Yankees moments in years to come. The only blemish is the Yankees left for Boston and will conclude their disappointing season with three games at Fenway Park.

Jeter won’t be going to the postseason. That part of the script did not go to plan because the perfect finale would have been Derek Jeter, the Captain, making another spectacular play on the field or getting another game winning hit in October. He will play his final three games as a designated hitter, and not at shortstop, and that’s typical Derek Jeter wanting to give not just Yankees fans but baseball fans an opportunity to see him on the field a final time.

“No,” said Jeter about the ninth inning dramatics that to him were unexpected. “Write what you want, put my name at the bottom of it,” he said in what was probably his last post game meeting with the media adjacent to the Yankees clubhouse .

This was not the final day of the lovefest and farewell. Jeter will get another huge ovation from the heated and rival Red Sox fans. Because the entire baseball world has appreciated the accomplishments and how a player in New York for 20-years went about his business.

The lovefest won’t end until that final time at bat on Sunday afternoon.

And make what you want about the Jeter stories this past week. It may have been overkill and dominated the conversation.There were the critics attempting to downplay how Jeter stands as one of the all-time Yankees greats, and those who made a profit on the Jeter final week in the Bronx.

It is all a part of paying homage to a ballplayer who put on the Yankees uniform and was instrumental in being part of a championship run that may not be seen again for a long time.

And now Derek Jeter has realized that it has come to an end. All season, and more so this week, there were the constant questions about reality setting, and that the last page of the script was coming to a finale.

“It’s a weird way of emotions,” said Jeter who admitted he was choked up on the field. “I’m excited now. This whole year it’s been special. It’s almost like watching a funeral highlights and things. People are giving me well wishes like I’m going to dye. I appreciate it all.”

“Guess on the baseball side, because it’s over with,” Jeter said. Because it was not a funeral but a celebration that continued for fans outside Yankee Stadium hours after his final and dramatic hit in the Bronx.

“Part of the dream is over now,’ Jeter said. He was holding back the tears. You could tell from the tone in his voice that reality has set in, and the next time he steps on the field at Yankee Stadium he will be an Oldtimer.

And for generation of Yankees fans, those who grew up watching and admiring Derek Jeter, there dream is also over. Because the Yankees and their fans said goodbye to the last of the “Core Four.”

"Those guys are like my brothers,” Jeter said about Andy Petitte, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera. They were by the Yankees dugout along with Bernie Williams and the former manager, Joe Torre, an Honor Guard of Yankees as Jeter left the Yankee Stadium playing field for a final time.

Jeter said baseball is a game of adjustments and he will adapt to not getting prepared for another spring training and new season of hope for the Yankees in 2015. The fans will have to adjust as well, because not seeing Derek Jeter as an active player will last a long time.

Joe Girardi, who managed the last Jeter championship team in 2009 also has realized that the end is here.

He said about that last game winning hit, “Fitting, think about all the big hits he’s had in his career.” It will be a game winning hit that will be seen time and time again on the highlight reels ,and put in the category of great hits in New York Yankees history.

The everlasting image of Derek Jeter taking that final tour of the basepaths at Yankee Stadium and waving his cap to the crowd, as the divisional champion Orioles stood at the top of their dugout and tipped their caps in appreciation was compelling. It almost appeared that we were reading the mind of Derek Jeter, and perhaps he did not want to say goodbye after another three RBI night.

But it is reality. Derek Jeter wrote a perfect script for 20-years and it was a perfect ending Thursday night in the Bronx.

The Jeter WatchDerek's Bat RetiredYanks Out of PlayoffsBy Howard GoldinBRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 25- The penultimate day of Derek Jeter’s playing career with the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium began on a positive note. One day after being presented with the Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award by MLB Commissioner Allen “Bud” Selig, Jeter received another rare honor.Louisville Slugger, the iconic bat company that has served baseball players for 130 years, for the first time retired a bat model to honor a player, Derek Jeter. James Sass, Director of Professional Baseball Sales for the company said, “Derek has made over 12,500 plate appearances in his 20 MLB seasons, and every single one of them has been with a Louisville Slugger P72. With Derek’s impending retirement, we thought it was fitting to retire his bat model in recognition of his brilliant career. We are grateful for his enduring and unwavering loyalty. In honor of Derek’s tremendous career and impact, we won’t be making the P72 anymore.” The last such model bat was presented to Jeter before the game.Unfortunately, disappointment and sadness were the emotions Jeter felt as the afternoon progressed. The overwhelming percentage of the large crowd of 46,056 at Yankee Stadium for the matinee on Wednesday rose to their feet, cheered, and chanted Jeter’s name during each of his four at bats.This support did not lead to Jeter continuing his consecutive game hitting streak, which ended at seven. In the first, Jeter grounded out to shortstop. Two innings later, Jeter struck out swinging at a 2-2 pitch. The fifth inning concluded after the Yankee captain again grounded out to short. In the eighth, Jeter tried to hold up his swing and bounced the ball to the first sacker who tossed to the pitcher for another out. After his final at bat, the fans remained standing and chanted “We want Jeter.” He did not come out of the dugout for a curtain call. Reporters asked if he was aware of what the fans wanted. He explained his reaction, “I’m aware of it. You can’t help but notice. The game wasn’t over. We were trying to come back.”Jeter was kept from a final at bat as he was on deck when the last out of a 9-5 Baltimore victory was made. To make the Yankee loss even sadder for its players and fans, it eliminated the Yankees from the playoffs.As Jeter was the designated hitter on Wednesday, the fans did not get to watch him in the field.In a post-game interview, the body language as well the words spoken by the Yankee captain exhibited his disappointment, “It’s tough. We put a lot of work in it. We didn’t play well enough. There were stretches we played well and stretches we didn’t play well. We’re all disappointed. We should all be disappointed. I’m disappointed.”When asked to describe the positives of this season or his plans for his final game at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night, he demurred by saying, “We just lost. We’re not going to the playoffs.”Yankee manager Joe Girardi spoke of his feelings regarding the final Yankee Stadium game for Jeter on the following day, “I think it’s going to be special. Tomorrow is going to be the culmination of all the love he’s been shown, all the appreciation he’s been shown.”

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 22- As MLB nears the end of regular season play, the interest in Derek Jeter increases. The Gatorade commercial released this week has gone viral on the Internet. Yankee Stadium was sold out for the second straight day on Sunday afternoon as a crowd of 48,144 filled the ballpark. Merchandise with Jeter’s name or likeness and signs that salute the Yankee captain were seen in every section of the stadium.

Jeter was in the designated hitter slot on Sunday, so the fans could only see him out of the dugout in his four times at bat and twice on base. Before Jeter stepped into the batting box, the chant of his name was echoed throughout the park. Once he was ready to bat, he received repeated standing ovations from the fans. While standing, thousands readied their phones to record a photo of one of his final at bats.

In the first inning, the cheers were loud when Jeter’s bat connected with the ball, but the baseball was caught by Anthony Gose in centerfield.

To even more fan disappointment, Jeter struck out on a foul tip with a 2-2 count in the third.
The crowd saw what it was waiting for in the fifth as Jeter cracked a 0-2 pitch into right for a single. The hit increased his consecutive game hitting streak to five. The pitch ended another streak as Toronto starter Drew Hutchinson was removed after 4+ innings. In the previous 26 games, each Toronto starter lasted at least 6 innings. The 26 games were the most since Mariners’ pitchers threw 27 such consecutive games. Jeter advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a ground ball out, but did not score.

In the seventh, with Brett Gardner, who blasted the 15,000 home run in Yankee history two innings earlier, on second, Jeter smashed a double down the left field line to drive in Gardner and give the Yankees a 3-1 advantage. The excited fans responded with a vociferous standing ovation. After the game, Yankee manager Joe Girardi commented, “That’s a huge hit in that situation.”

The hit also gave the 40 year-old his fourth consecutive multi-hit game, a feat that tied his season high. Girardi, asked about his recent strong hitting remarked, “He’s hitting the ball with more authority. He’s swinging the bat extremely well since I gave him that day off in Tampa.” The manager acknowledged that the nearness of the end of his career could also be a motivating factor to the Yankee icon.

Jeter then stole third base, his 10th stolen base of the season. Jeter, who has compiled 358 steals in his career, was asked about why he attempted it as if it was something he never previously did. He replied, “It was an opportunity. I thought I had a chance to make it and I went.”

Jeter scored when the next batter, Brian McCann, hit his second homer of the game, which accounted for the last runs of a 5-2 Yankee win.

Jeter was asked about the almost unprecedented fan support he has recently received. He responded jocularly, “It’s fun. It’s a lot better when they’re cheering for you.” He also reminded the reporter that the fans have always been supportive of him. That remark is something he has made repeatedly over the years.

Tanaka return and countdown for #Jeter with a Yankees winBy Rich MancusoBRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 22- Most of the sold out crowd at Yankee Stadium Sunday afternoon cheered and waited for Derek Jeter to leave the field after the New York Yankees 5-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. And it was loud cheers most of the afternoon in the Bronx as the Yankees and their fans say goodbye to their captain this week.There were also cheers for the starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, one of the Yankees major investments during the off-season. He showed no effects of his right elbow inflammation that put him on the shelf for more than two months, and perhaps that is good news for a team that in a matter of days will be eliminated from the post season a second consecutive year,But as they Yankees finish up their home schedule this week, the emphasis will continue to be about Derek Jeter. Tanaka, with 5.1 innings gave up an earned run on five hits. The right-hander struck out four and will get another start up in Boston next weekend when the Yankees finish up their season.Jeter is not in the plans next year, as much as it appears to be setting in that seven more games remain in his illustrious career. But a healthy Tanaka in 2015 is what the Yankees hope for, assuming there are no further complications with the elbow and Tommy John Surgery is not necessary.“I thought if something was to happen, in my mind, you’d see it on a pitch, not necessarily the next day,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said about Tanaka. “But still, we got through today, so let’s get through tomorrow."And tomorrow night the Yankees will attempt to keep those slim playoff hopes alive against the AL division champion Orioles. A magic number of four will spell the end to next year and planning with a hopeful and healthy Tanaka, Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran and Mark Teixeira.“I don’t feel different,” Jeter said about these being his last days unless the Yankees can pull off a miracle.”Well aware its winding down and constantly reminded of it. Play as hard as I can, as I said before and still trying to win games.”Jeter went 2-for-4 and had a season tying four straight multi-hit game. He may be seeing the ball better than he did all season, though Girardi said the day off Monday also helped the soon to be captain.In four games on the homestand, Jeter is 8-for-17 with three runs, two doubles, a home run and three runs batted in.Tanaka had the same split, slider, and control before he went on the disabled list July 8th. “Overall satisfied,” he said. “I wanted to check to see how well my elbow would respond... in that sense I was thinking about it.”Again, a healthy Tanaka is what the Yankees will need next year. There is no certainty about CC Sabathia returning to form and providing 150 innings.The Yankees offense, with a makeship lineup minus Beltran, Ellsbury and Teixeira hit their stride Sunday, and that got some cheers with three home runs, two from Brian McCann and a solo from Brett Gardner.But it was about Jeter who poked the ball well during the four-game series with the Blue Jays and the Yankees scored 16-runs, a contrast to not getting runs home since April.“They’ve done it periods of the year they just have not been consistent,” Girardi said about his offense. “Look at it two ways. You are upset about it but they are still fighting.” Meaning, there is no quit with the realization scoreboard watching will soon mean elimination and on to next season.“Timely hitting, pitching, playing good baseball, that’s what we did,” commented McCann who hit his team leading 22nd home run.But the overall consensus was, another of the farewell Derek Jeter days in the Bronx. He has made things happen for the Yankees over the years and there will be someone different manning shortstop.“The game is going to miss him,” said Toronto manager John Gibbons.Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com Facebook.com/ Rich Mancuso www.newyorksportsexaminer.com

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 21-Marcus Stroman, a rookie pitcher from the New York area, Medford, New York in Suffolk County, earned his 11th win of the season on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. The 23 year-old was not pitching for the Yankees but against them as he was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2012 MLB Draft.

After the rookie gave up a double to Brett Gardner to begin the Yankee first, Stroman struck Jeter out looking. Like all baseball fans his age and players from the New York area, Jeter is the most meaningful figure in the game to the pitcher. He remarked of the strikeout, “I grew up watching Jeter. It was an awesome experience, one of my greatest moments.”

The first Yankee runner to score was also Jeter, who singled to right in the third. Jeter moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Brian McCann.

The only other run yielded by Stroman came in the next inning after three singles, Chase Headley, Ichiro Suzuki and Francisco Cervelli.

In the other four innings pitched by Stroman, he gave up three hits, no runs and no walks while fanning seven. In his previous start at Yankee Stadium on June 17, Stroman only lasted 3.2 innings. Six days after that first start against New York, he limited then to three hits and one run. He earned the win after pitching eight innings.

Toronto skipper John Gibbon was extremely pleased, “He stepped up in front of somewhat of a home town crowd. [He has] 11 wins and his first start was only on May 31.” Pretty damn good!”

Stroman was happy to home, “I’m happy to be back in New York, Jeter’s farewell, a packed house.” He mentioned family who were present, “Dad, brother, sister, just a core group, the people who have been with me.”

Not surprisingly, the offensive damage done to the Yankees was by the Dominican duo of sluggers, Jose Bautista and Edward Encarnación. They combined to produce the first Toronto run in the top of the first. Bautista singled to left with one out and was plated by a long double to center by Encarnación.

The 101st walk of the season issued to Bautista and a single by Encarnación with no out put them both in a position to score, which they did in the three run Toronto sixth inning.
Bautista led off the seventh by blasting his 34th home run and driving in his 101st run of the season. Encarnación followed with a single but was stranded.

The home run was his fifth in the last six games against New York. He has eight in their 15 contests.

Bautista drew his third walk of the contest in the ninth, which led to his fourth run scored in the game. He reached base in all five trips to the plate. Bautista described it as “a good performance in a meaningful game in September.”

When told he has 101 runs batted in and 102 walks, he said, “That puts you in an elite group. I’ll enjoy it in the off-season. Right now, we have to win games.” This is a thought Yankee fans may have to ponder in another week.

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 21- The focus of nearly every person in the sold-out Yankee Stadium crowd of 47,292 was on Derek Jeter. Whether in the field, at shortstop or at the plate with a bat in his hands, everyone was watching the Yankee captain. What did Jeter do during the ninth game before his retirement?

The fans rose to their feet and cheered as Jeter approached the plate in the first inning. That fan reaction was repeated before each of his four following at bats. The disappointment was noticeable as Jeter took a called third strike.

With two out in the third, he beat out an infield hit. The hit raised his consecutive

game hitting streak to four. He then scored his 1,920th career run on a double to left by Brian McCann. The run put him one ahead of teammate Alex Rodriguez for sole possession of ninth place in the record books. The run knotted the score at 1.

Jeter grounded out to second in the fifth. Two innings later, he flied to right.

In his last at bat, in the bottom of the ninth, Jeter doubled sharply to left, driving Brett Gardner, who was on first, across the plate for the final Yankee run. The run batted in was his 1,303rd, which gave him 100th place in career stats. The hit was his 141st of the year and 3,457th in career hits, 6th place in MLB history.

It was also his second hit of the contest. He had multi-hit games in all three of the home contests of the final homestand that have been played.

Speaking about the ninth inning run batted in, Yankee manager Joe Girardi commented, “You’re seeing it again. The guy never stops fighting and believing in himself.”

Gardner, who scored on Jeter’s double, reacted after the game, “Nothing he does surprises you anymore. Obviously, what he has accomplished in his career is pretty special and he’s definitely a guy you don’t ever count out.”

At short, Jeter made four assists and did not make an error.

In the eighth inning, an MLB tribute video was played on the centerfield videoboard that received another ovation from the crowd.

Jeter has five more games to play in the Bronx and three in Boston before his retirement takes effect.

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 20- Although the door is almost closed to the Yankees walking into the post-season, winning the last three contests has technically kept their chances alive. They are 4.5 games out of the second Wild Card spot with nine games remaining.

Most fans believe the 2014 season of the Yankees will end on September 28 and their interest is centered on watching Derek Jeter play his last few games prior to his retirement.

The only season opening starter on the Yankees not to visit the disabled list this year, Hiroki Kuroda, made his 31st start of the season on Friday night against the Toronto Blue Jays. He yielded two hits including a two-run home run by Edwin Encarnación before even retiring a second batter. The home run tied his teammate Jose Bautista with 33.

After the game, Kuroda commented through his translator, “The first inning I thought he [Encarnación] was looking for that pitch. Then I settled down.”

The veteran right-hander gave up only five more hits and one run before being removed from the contest after 6.2 innings. The Japanese native fanned seven but did not walk a batter for the fourth start game. He has faced 108 batters since he last walked a batter. It was his 11th start of the season in which he didn’t issue one walk. His strikeout/walk ration in 2014 is 137/35. He earned his 11th win of the year for the fourth straight year.

The Yankee captain commented, “Hiro knows how to pitch. If we scored any kind of runs for him, he’d have 17-18 wins.” The 39-year-old starting pitcher gave credit to his teammates for scoring five runs, “I had great support from our offense.” Kuroda is tied with Cole Hamels for the most losses in quality starts since 2008 with 30 since his offensive support is so lacking.

When asked by a reporter if he is considering returning next year, Kuroda stated, “I’m not thinking of that. This season is not over. Maybe my next start will be my last one.”

The five runs were the most scored by the Yankees since September 11. Jacoby Ellsbury led the offensive output with two hits, a double and a home run and three runs batted inUnfortunately for Ellsbury and his team, Ellsbury left the game with hamstring pain. Yankee skipper Joe Girardi said of the centerfielder, “There’s nothing that this kid can’t do.” He remarked that it’s possible Ellsbury may not play again this season.

Jeter, who refrains from praising himself, spoke highly of Ellsbury, “When he gets hot, he’s capable of doing a lot of things. He’s fun to play with.”

What Jeter did not wish to discusss was that Friday’s contest was his second straight multi-hit game. There are six more home games for Jeter and the Yankees.

Yankee records-Yankee hurlers have fanned 1,279 batters this season. They need 40 strikeouts to break the record set in 2012. Ellsbury’s home run was the 14,998 of the Yankees. They now need only two to reach 15,000. Who do you think will hit #15,000.

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 19- There was that moment in the sixth inning Thursday night at Yankee Stadium for Derek Jeter. He hit his first home run in the Bronx this season, in his last year as an active player. Yet we have always seen these moments from him over the years,

This home run, which gave the Yankees a 2-0 advantage over the Toronto Blue Jays, was not a milestone. But it was special because this was the beginning of the final week of baseball for Derek Jeter in the Bronx. The stadium crowd was waiting for a big hit and it came off a 3-1 pitch, from an R.A. Dickey fastball that went deep into the leftfield stands.

“First home run, final homestand, typical Jeter,” commented Yankees manager Joe Girardi after their 4-3 walk-off win over the Blue Jays. “He got his 3,000th hit here with the game on the line.”

That was a Jeter moment as there have been so many others over the years in the Bronx. And though this win does not mean the Yankees will be postseason bound in a few weeks, at least Jeter was able to hit another long ball at home, and he gets six more opportunities to hit another one in the Bronx before his farewell game next Thursday evening.

You know Girardi is starting to realize that a special player is no longer going to be in Yankees pinstripes next year.

“He just has the ability to do that," Girardi said about another Jeter moment. "I've always said, he’s the guy you want up with the game on the line, in big situations. He’s always had that ability."

So there was Jeter again leading off the eighth inning in a 2-2 game. The enthusiasm of what was left of 34,279, many of course who came to see Jeter one final time, returned a bit when he made contact but flied out to center on a pitch from Brandon Morrow. It did not matter to the fans as they cheered for the captain, because this week it is all about Derek Jeter in the Bronx.

“Hey, it’s another game," Jeter said. "I’m trying not to think about it being the last homestand. We still have a week left. We’re trying to win games and I’m going to go out there and play hard like I’ve always done my entire career until we’re out of games."

“This is not an easy game to play,” he commented. “You’re going to have good stretches you’re going to have bad stretches, you’re going to have good years, you’re going to have bad years. Obviously this year up to this point hasn’t turned out the way you liked. Like I said I’m going to play hard til we’re out of games.”

Jeter was happy that they won the game. He is enjoying his last days in the Bronx and had a laugh or two when he got back in the dugout after the home run. We have not seen an emotional side of this Yankees icon as the final games approach, and perhaps it will be seen in seven days. And it did not matter that Jeter was caught in a first inning double play.

It would have been humiliating for a rookie when he broke for second on a 3-2 pitch, thinking that it was ball four, but the fans did not care. It was a Derek Jeter mistake, and after all of the great moments he has provided them in the Bronx, Jeter can be excused for making a mistake on the base paths.

When a reporter pointed out to Jeter that this was the first home run he hit in the Bronx there was a response: “Thank you,” he said in typical Jeter style, not sarcastic but living up the moment of his final days of playing baseball in the Bronx.

Jeter’s average dipped below .250 with an 0-for-28 drought, the second longest of his career. He still cares in the final days because baseball and wearing the Yankees uniform the past 20-years have always been something special.

Said Girardi, "I'm sure he's trying to soak this up as much as he can. It's really difficult to take your uniform off. When you're used to doing something for such a long time, it's difficult. He understands what's coming.”

And we all know that day is coming. But for another night it was a Derek Jeter moment that will be remembered like all the others.

Yanks Walk Off with a Win8th Walk-Off Win of 2014 for Yankees, Jeter and Bautista homerBy Howard GoldinBRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 19- For the eighth consecutive game, the Yankees on Wednesday night did not score more than three runs. Their much discussed lack of hitting did not prevent them from defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in the first game of the Yankees final homestand of the 2014 season.The win was an exciting surprise for the 34,729 fans present. With the score knotted at 2, the Yankees came to bat in the bottom of the ninth frame. Chris Young, who joined the Yanks on September 2 continued his impressive hitting as a Yankee with a single to center to lead-off. Young, who barely batted above .200 as a Met this year, is batting .316 (12 for 38) in pinstripes.Antoan Richardson, who was called up to the Yanks on the same date that Young began his service with the team, entered the game to pinch run for Young. The speedster promptly stole second, his fifth steal in five attempts. Although the 30 year-old has been given few at bats, his batting average is .444 (4 for 9).The next batter, Brett Gardner, bunted with two strikes to advance Richardson to third. After the contest, Yankee skipper Joe Girardi was asked if he gave the sign to Gardner. He replied, “No, it was his call.”The following batter, Chase Headley, hit a hard ground ball that went through the hands and legs of the Blue Jay first baseman, Adam Lind, to end the contest in favor of the Yankees, 3-2. The walk-off win was the eighth this season for the Yanks and third that was engineered with Headley at bat.Girardi had words of praise for both Richardson and Headley. Of the rookie on base, he credited, “He puts a lot of pressure on the defense.” When told this by a reporter, Richardson spoke of the work done by Young, Gardner and Headley. After many years in the minors, he is gratified to have an opportunity with the Yankees, “Anytime you contribute it feels good. You feel a part of the team once you contribute.”Headley has been making contributions since being traded from San Diego on July 22. Girardi expounded a litany of praise directed toward Headley, “He has a grind it out approach. He is a very tough kid who wants to win, [and] a great fielder. He’s been a great addition.” Those words make it sound as Headley will be with the Yankees again next year.Rookie Shawn Greene held the Blue Jays scoreless for 6.2 innings before being removed for reliever Dellin Betances. He allowed only three scattered singles and walked two batters in his high quality start. Yankee captain Derek Jeter remarked of the youngster, “He gets more and more confidence and more and more relaxed.”Girardi explained a reason for that confidence, “He has four pitches that he can go to and he has the ability to throw strikes.”The Yankees scored two runs off veteran knuckleball pitcher R. A. Dickey in his six inning stint. In the fifth, a two-out walk to Headley that was followed by a Stephen Drew double scored the first run of the game.To the delight of everyone in the park, Jeter hit his first Yankee Stadium home run of the year in the sixth. He had not homered in his last 158 at bats. Jeter was reluctant to speak of the home run or his feelings toward the end of his career. He said, “I’m happy because we won a game.”A two-run homer by Jose Bautista off Shawn Kelley with two out and an 0-2 count tied the score in the eighth. The slugger has homered in his last four games against the Yankees.

The game started well for the Mount scoring on its opening drive with a two-yard touchdown run missing the two-point conversion. Fordham responded with a first quarter touchdown of its own and took the lead after they successfully converted the extra point kick 7-6.

Fordham Prep would score three more touchdowns in a 27-14 win over Mount including two touchdown receptions by Senior wide receiver Will Randell.

Fordham Prep (1-0) hosts another evening match-up Saturday September 20th at 7:30 p.m. against Christ the King (1-1) while Mount (0-1) hopes to win on the road as they take on Holy Trinity (0-2) Saturday afternoon at 1:30.

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 15- Boys soccer in the Bronx A League began the week of September 8th for most teams including Evander Childs Campus who finished its week with a Friday afternoon match-up against Dewitt Clinton High School.

Evander took a 2-0 first half lead and a penalty kick early in the second half gave the Evander Tigers a 3-0 lead eventually falling 4-1.

Evander stands in second place with a 1-0-1 record and four points trailing only Bronx High School of Science (2-0-0, 6 points) while Clinton starts its season in a three-way 5th place tie.

Clinton hopes to rebound next week against Kennedy and Bronx HS of Science, while Evander looks to continue its winning ways against Walton and Kennedy.

By Howard GoldinBRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 14- On Saturday afternoon, the Fordham Rams (2-1) strongly rebounded from a horrendous 50-6 loss to the Villanova Wildcats one week earlier. That loss was the most one-sided defeat suffered by Fordham since the 55-0 drubbing by the Black Knights of Army on October 29, 2011.Although no athlete enjoys a loss, some realize that it can be a teaching experience for a coach and a learning experience for both the athletes and the coaching staff. This is what happened at Fordham after the loss to Villanova.Fordham coach Joe Moorhead explained, “We got off the tracks a little last week. It’s unacceptable on every level. Experience sometimes makes the best teacher.”Moorhead saw the positive reaction of his team almost immediately, “We had a great week of practice. You’re going to play like you practice. They wanted to make a point today.”What the coach experienced from his team after the preparation was extremely positive, “It was a great bounce back win. I saw the team that I saw on a regular basis every week.”Senior quarterback Mike Nebrich, who completed 22 of 38 passes for 331 yards and a touchdown, also noted the difference after the previous week’s defeat, “We got back to the little things.”Despite two interceptions of passes by Nebrich and a Fordham fumble recovered by Rhode Island (0-2), Fordham kept its opponent scoreless in the first quarter. As the quarter neared its conclusion, Fordham’s sensational freshman running back Chase Edmonds rushed for two touchdowns in the space of 95 seconds. At 2:48 he carried the ball 16 yards to score the first points of the contest. At 1:13, Edmonds again passed the goal line after a 10 yard run. Two successful points after touchdown (PAT) kicks by Michael Marando gave Fordham a 14-0 advantage after the first period.The second quarter was barren of touchdowns, but Marando kicked a 33-yard field goal with 24 seconds left in the first half to raise Fordham’s lead to 17-0.No additional points were added in the first nine minutes of the second half, but the Fordham Rams then erupted for three scores within 34 seconds. In the longest run of the game, Edmonds went 87 yards for his third touchdown at 11:41. Defensive back Ian Williams recovered a Rhody fumble in the end zone for another Fordham TD 20 seconds later. The highly rated defenseman was not finished as 13 seconds later he tackled a Rhode Island ball carrier in his end zone for a safety.After the game Williams spoke for the Fordham defense that held the visitors to seven points and 287 yards, “It was a blessing how well we did. The defense did great today. The sky’s the limit for the defense.”A 41-yard touchdown run by the fantastic freshman Edmonds gave Fordham a 40-0 lead at 9:11 of the third. He scored four TD’s and ran 231 yards, a new record for freshmen at Fordham.The overwhelming majority of the 6,979 rooters who attended the contest at Jack Coffey Field left the stadium in good spirits after watching the Fordham Rams win its ninth consecutive home game.The Rams will take a short trip to upper Manhattan next Saturday to face the Columbia Lions.

Chris Young Smashes No Hitter Closes Show with Homer#YankeesBy Howard GoldinBRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 12- On Wednesday night, the emotions for players and fans of the Tampa Rays and New York Yankees ran the gamut. The third smallest crowd to attend a Yankee game in the Bronx this season (32,627) was put through an emotional roller coaster.For the first 7.1 innings of the contest, the hero was Rays’ starter Alex Cobb with a strong assist from shortstop Yunel Escobar.Cobb continued his previous domination over the Yankees by keeping them hitless for the first 7.1 innings. After the first six Yankee batters were retired, Stephen Drew reached base on a two-base error by centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier. Cobb then set down the next 12 Yankee batters before he issued back-to-back walks to Brian McCann and Mark Teixeira in the seventh. With one out in the eighth, Chris Young, who was released by the Mets on August 15 and later signed by the Yankees, doubled to deep center to break-up Cobb’s bid for a no-hit game. Despite the very clean hit, after the game, Young praised his opponent on the mound, “Cobb pitched his butt off tonight.”After Young’s hit, Cobb was removed from the contest. Pinch hitter Martin Prado, on a 3-2 pitch, blasted Bruce Boxberger’s next pitch into the stands in left to put the Yankees on the board. Prado, signed by the Yanks on July 31, is batting .389 since August 16. Yankee manager Joe Girardi remarked of Prado, “He’s been locked in and he’s still locked in.”Despite not achieving a no-hitter against New York, like his teammate Chris Archer, Cobb has won his last five decisions against the Yankees and lowered his ERA in his seven starts to 1.69. Thus, the two Rays hurlers are deserving of the sobriquet “Yankee killers.”The right-hander, with only one earned run, pitched his 12th consecutive start in which he has given up two runs or less, the longest current streak in the majors and tied for third place in baseball history. His mark has only been exceeded by Felix Hernandez (17) this year and Al Benton (15) in 1945. His 12 games tied three other pitchers, ZachGreinke (2008-9), Barry Moore (1969), and Babe Ruth (1916), one of the greatest lefty hurlers before becoming the greatest slugger in MLB history.The batting hero for Tampa, if the lead had held up was Yunel Escobar, who knocked in all the team’s four runs on two home runs. The shortstop’s power was highly unexpected as he had not homered in his last 56 games and Wednesday’s contest was his first career multi-home run game.The final hero of the game, Chris Young, was probably a shock and disappointment to any fans of the Mets. The Yanks were trailing, 4-2, as the bottom of the ninth began. Chase Headley, the lead-off batter was hit in the chin by a pitch. The next batter, Ichiro Suzuki, doubled. After one man was retired, Young put a 0-1 pitch into the seats in left to give the Yankees a 5-4 victory.The new Yankee outfielder was elated by his home run, “You feel like you’re floating on a cloud.” When asked by a reporter if this was his best moment of the season, he responded, “Definitely.”Young is batting .500 (6 for 12) since joining the Yankees. Girardi opined, “It’s amazing how things can turn around so quick for a player. The game never makes sense.”Girardi also told reporters of a comment made by Derk Jeter in the eighth inning, “We’re going to get two in the eighth and three in the ninth.” The words affirmed Girardi’s opinion of Jeter, “That’s what makes him so special. He believes we can overcome everything.”

What has made Chris Young a hero in the Bronx?#ChrisYoungBy Rich MancusoBRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 12- So what has been the difference for Chris Young since moving to the other side of town with the New York Yankees? Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium he was a triple shy of the cycle and drove in two runs with a solo home run and RBI double in the eighth inning, as the Yankees got the comeback win over Tanpa Bay.Young did something he was not able to do with the cross-town Mets, a one-year free agent deal of $7.5 million that led to his release on August 15th. Then there were the heroics Thursday night. Young was the hero breaking up the no-hit bid of Rays’ right-hander Alex Cobb with a double in the eighth inning. And it got better.Young became the latest Yankees hero in their last at bat when he drove a 96-mile fastball to the stands in left. The sixth walk-off home run of his career and three-run shot kept the Yankees slim playoff chances alive for another day. So here is the prevailing question: Why has Chris Young suddenly found the magic in Yankees pinstripes when it appeared he was a complete failure on the other side of town?Baseball is that game of questions and will always leave one perplexed. Young, and of course those Mets fans who wanted him out of town, may also be asking the same question.Ask the manager. Joe Girardi has been around the game long enough to also try and answer the perplexing question. And Chris Young may not even have a conception about his revivial with a different team in New York, though a change of uniform as they say can sometimes be good for a ballplayer.In this case, a change and move from Flushing to the Bronx has apparently been the answer for Chris Young. One can debate that the dimensions of Yankee Stadium are a perfect formula for Young, as opposed to the supposed you can’t drive the ball theory that is not made for the hitter at Citi Field. "He's done an awful lot,” Girardi said. “They said he was a talented player who had a rough year this year. It's amazing how things can turn around for a player. That's a huge hit for us."A huge hit for Young, one he could not get in Flushing for a good portion of his baseball season in New York. The fact he has become a hero in the Bronx has Mets fans offering their displeasure on social media.But in the end, Chris Young still deserved an opportunity with the Yankees or another team, whether to make a statement for himself, that his time at Citi Field was a fluke and that the skills were still there.And it is almost certain that Girardi will have Young inserted again in left field Friday afternoon, in one or two games of a day-night doubleheader down in Baltimore. The Yankees need this type of production with 18-games remaining, trailing by four-games for that second wild card. Young has found the stroke and could be a catalyst to getting runs they have had trouble compiling all season. “It feels like you’re floating on a cloud,” Young said about the home run, trotting the bases and getting mobbed by his new teammates at home plate. He did not experience that during his time with the Mets, and this new opportunity is like floating on a cloud.

Again as he said the night before, “This is baseball. Funny how things work out. It did not work out with them (Mets) and I get this opportunity. The fans have to understand this is a business and now I am here trying to be a part of helping this team get to the post season.”So the other prevailing question is: Did Mets GM Sandy Alderson pull the plug too soon on Young and why was Young signed early during that free agent period for a minimal price when power hitter Nelson Cruz, who signed a late and lucrative deal with the Orioles was still on the board?The issue of Cruz not coming to the Mets, and Young signing for less money to be an important cog in the Mets lineup, is of course always a matter of baseball economics from the Mets point of view.The Yankees, on the other hand, had nothing to lose. Give Young a minor league stint and the Mets are picking up a good portion of that contract now that he is on the big league roster.But Chris Young has done better with his new surroundings. It is baseball and why they call this a funny game ,where the unknown is bound to happen. He is happy and so are the Yankees as they have found a productive bat in their lineup at a crucuial and important time.Mets manager Terry Collins said more than once in his post game meetings with the media about the struggles of Chris Young, “He will become the hitter we all know and it is a matter of adjusting.”Chris Young may not know the reason for his late season heroics with the Yankees. What matters though are the heroics coming at the right time for a team on the other side of town,Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso www.newyorksportsexaminer,com

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 11-Chris Young never lived up to expectations on the other side of town with the New York Mets- perhaps one of the major failures of a free agent in Flushing with a one-year $7.5 million contract. He became public enemy number one with the fans at Citi Field until his release on August 15th.

A week or so later the Yankees signed him to a minor league contract and when rosters expanded September 1 he was in the Bronx and on the bench. It did not take him long to make an impact for the Yankees who are fighting to stay alive for a post season spot as the second wild card in the American League.

Young never avoided the media on the other side of town when he had an 0-for-4 night, or taking the collar four times. Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium after going 3-for-4 with two runs batted in, and a game tying home run, meeting the media was easier.

After the Yankees come from behind 8-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays that kept their playoff hopes alive, and the first time this season they overcame a four run deficit for a win, Young spoke freely and did not have any negative thoughts about his former team.

And in case you did not notice, all of a sudden the Mets have quietly got back into the NL wild card hunt after sweeping three games from the Rockies and winning seven of their last eight games.

“The opportunity to get back in the game was huge for us,” Young said. His first home run as a Yankee in the fourth inning tied the game and made him the second player to hit a home run during the season as a player for the Yankees and Mets joining Dave Kingman in 1977.

Young was not aware that he made some New York baseball history. He is content and all of a sudden became an important contributor in the Yankees outfield that has been decimated with injuries.

Once a crowded outfield when the rosters expanded, Young got the call to start in left because Carlos Beltran was scratched from the lineup with a recurring right elbow issue that may shut him down in the remaining games of the season.

Brett Gardner has been out of the lineup the past week with a bad right calf and Martin Prado, who can play the outfield is day-to-day with a bad hamstring.

“It’s a fresh start for me,” Young said. “Whatever happened in the past is not on my mind. You do your own and help this team as soon as possible.”

He has adapted to being on the other side of town and could see more playing time, though fans of the Mets will never understand what went wrong ont he other side of town. Maybe it is the awareness of putting on Yankees pinstripes, because what Young did Wednesday night was something that never came to fruition wearing the other New York baseball uniform.

With the Mets, Young batted .205, hit eight-home runs with 28 runs batted in during a span of 88-games.

“You’re in your own bubble here ,” he said. And about his former team, Young admits he is not paying attention though he keeps in touch with some of the guys he used to go to war with.

“Great group of guys (Mets) over there. It doesn’t suprise me at all. When you have a good major league team anything can happen. I dont take anything away from those guys over there.

Yes, Chris Young was praising his former team and from the comments there is a sense of loyalty and belief that the Mets are capable of pulling off a marvelous run to that wild card. Though that is highly improbable based on what the Mets accomplish the next four games at Citi Field against the first place Washington Nationals.

Said Young, “Think if I was in the same situation with another team to play with the Yankees and be in postiion is a great feeling. To be surrounded by all these other great players is the main focus.”

“Fun to see Chris contribute here and make a difference,” said Mark Teixeira who drove in the Yankees go ahead run in the fifth inning with his 19th career triple.

Young was not going to hide from the question, his new surroundings in the Bronx. “Just worrying about where I am now,” he said, and he was aware of the role of being on a crowded bench,

“Opportunity has come because guys are down. When you get your opportunity you try and do your part and try and make a difference.”

And on this night, Chris Young made a difference for the New York Yankees and for one more game gave their slim playoff chances some hope.